


Paired Again

by ReymieNightmare



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: 8th Year Hogwarts, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amortentia, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Potions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-24
Updated: 2016-06-24
Packaged: 2018-07-18 01:25:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7293796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReymieNightmare/pseuds/ReymieNightmare
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Draco Malfoy is definitely struggling with adjusting to life after the war. He was now going back to Hogwarts to get in NEWTs but he never felt more alone. While no longer mortal enemies with Harry Potter, he couldn't work up the courage to talk to him, no matter if Harry talked to him or not. However they still have Potions together and maybe a little Amortentia can change Draco's ability to not talk to the Chosen One.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Paired Again

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer - I do not own any of the characters presented here. I also do not own the universe in which they are presented. All of them belong to J.K Rowling.

Ever since Draco could remember he’d been repeatedly paired with Harry Potter for potions. He thought maybe because it was their technical 8th year, he could escape this cycle. Not that he still quote “hated” Harry, he just didn’t want to face him just quite yet. Harry had gotten him and his mother out of Azkaban, even tried for his father. He owed Harry a debt he’d never thought possible, and it was in those court rooms where Harry testified against him and his family going to Azkaban that he became Harry instead of Potter. 

Now as Draco walked into Potions for his second week since school started, he nearly froze when he saw Harry sitting there fidgeting with a clear crystal stirring rod. Harry had always been good with Potions, he proposed that he was just here for the NEWT Level, it made him wonder what else Potter was getting a NEWT in. “Mr. Malfoy, should’ve know I’d have you back. You’ve been paired with Mr. Potter there, go ahead and have your seat.”

Draco internally sighed. Looks like the cycle will forever repeat itself. He hadn’t spoken a word to Harry since the trials. Harry never really tried either, although it looked like he very well wanted to. Draco just avoided him and Harry seemed to understand that he wasn’t ready to talk to him. Unfortunately they are now to talk to each other. Draco actually sighed this time, but to his shock Harry gave him an apologetic look. 

Harry definitely filled out a little after the war, not really from the war. More from cleaning up Hogwarts, Harry could now do extensive wandless magic. Although he had gotten a new wand to replace his broken one, a new one picked him. And he had returned Draco's, but it was laced with his magic and every time Draco used his he felt Harry's magic. He hadn’t grown much but he was very nicely toned muscularly. His eyes were brighter than ever a full blown preternatural green now. Draco was confident enough in himself to say he got lost in them now. Harry seemed so utterly relaxed now that the war was over. Last he knew Harry was going to become an Auror but that may have changed. Harry was now an enigma to him. 

As the class filled Draco realized there were a lot more people that came back. There were some 7th Years that he didn’t recognize, but he recognized Neville and Hermione. Blaise had come back, along with Pansy who was a lot mellower now and a lot less of a bitch. Blaise had relaxed thoroughly and was a lot less pious. Harry had long since became friends with Blaise and was on polite terms with Pansy. 

Slughorn brought the subtle chatter to a close as he called the class together. “Today we’ll just be testing where you’re at. Some of you will be farther along than others and that’s all well. I would like you and your partners to brew Amortentia. Careful not to get it on any of you. Brew carefully. Off you go.”

Harry turned to Draco with a small smile. “Remember how to brew Amortentia?”

Draco choked as he talked to him. He knew this would happen. Before he could spout off some nonsense when it was acceptable for him to bitch and belittle Harry. Now he owed him a life debt, and Malfoys were very particular about debts. He nodded and Harry stood standing a little ways away. “Sorry.”

Draco shook his head and stood too. He began gathering ingredients and mentally cursed himself for not being able to talk. He had to talk he had to say something. Harry should not be the one apologizing. He should be, for the way he acted towards him since the beginning. Every time after that, the only thing he did that even sort of helped was that he didn’t tell his aunt that it was actually Harry they had captured. Say something, Draco. “I’m sorry..”

Harry jumped at the sound of his voice and cut his finger. Draco instantly panicked. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean...I’m sorry.”

“Draco! Stop. It’s fine,” He held up his finger and stuck it in his mouth. “Just a little cut. Nothing to fret about. Why’d you apologize to begin with?”

Draco watched as Harry took off his tie and wrapped it around his finger, tying the access around his wrist and then continued to prepare the ingredients. He didn’t push Draco to answer just patiently waited. “For everything. For the trial. For the war, for before that. For everything. I’m sorry.”

Harry chuckled a little. “No need to be. I don’t resent you and I don’t think you need to apologize. Although there are quite a few things I need to apologize for.”

Draco gaped at him. Sure, there were times when Harry was practically insufferable with that wit and smirk of his. But to apologize? What did Harry have to apologize for? Nothing came to mind. “What for?”

Harry took a long time to answer. It was silent as they worked, they were a perfect team. Draco knew that. They spent years working together in Potions. They knew how to work together, where as some of the others bickered a little. Harry and Draco were seamless. When he was stirring the potion Harry finally spoke. “Sectumsempra.”

Draco took in a breath. Oh, that. The spell that left the – Draco ran a hand over his chest. There were still scars there, they had faded since then and of course he didn’t hurt anymore. Harry turned to him as he covered the Potion to set. “I’m sorry for that. I used it without thinking, I had been so desperate to figure out what happened when you used it. I-I’m sorry, I should have never used that without knowing what it did. I should have never used it against you.”

Harry was looking at his chest, his usually bright green eyes had faded some and Draco ached to get that brightness back. He knew his feelings for Harry surpassed friendship, but as far as he knew Harry was still with Ginevra. He would never feel like he does toward him. Draco shook his head. “Don’t. It’s fine. I forgave you for that a long time ago. Other things to worry about than you nearly killing me and I’ve done worse.”

Harry shook his head. “Not of your own free will.”

Slughorn came by to check how everyone was doing. “Boys, you appear to be done. Are you?”

Harry tore his eyes from Draco and pulled the lid off the cauldron. Slughorn looked down into it and then a grin broke out of his face. “It’s perfect! Very well done boys!”

Harry grinned and nodded. “Why don’t you both take note of what you did with the potion and what it smells like to each of you?”

Draco watched Harry go completely stiff and then nod. “Of course, Professor.”

Slughorn offered him a grin and then went on to help other with theirs. He sat back down on his stool and quickly wrote out the exact formula they used and how they made it, when Draco looked it over. He found it looked almost exactly like one would find it in the textbook. Detailed and explanatory. “You can go first.”

Harry nodded and stepped forward. Draco noticed the pink twinge to his cheeks. “I smell fresh pressed linens, expensive cologne, and … and green apples.”

Draco stared at him shocked for a moment and didn’t dare say what that sounded like. Wouldn’t dare let himself hope. Harry sighed and pulled back taking note of it. “And you?”

Draco leaned forward and froze as everything Harry smacked him in the face. “The Quidditch Pitch, muggle tea, and treacle tart.”

He heard Harry gasp and then instantly turned to write down what he smelled. They both sat there after covering it for a moment. Neither would look at each other and neither would even begin to mention what just happened. Draco bolted out of the classroom as class ended and Harry stared after him. Draco would not face that kind of rejection. He already knew it was going to come. Of course, Harry knew what Draco was describing was him. Why didn’t he lie and say something else? No, of course, he could never lie to Harry Potter. 

Draco skipped his next class and sat by the lake. He stared out into it, wishing he never would have ruined everything like that. What was he even thinking? Harry was going to reject him and then they would awkwardly be friends? Forget it. He probably thought he was disgusting. Draco Malfoy falling in love with the famed Harry Potter. 

Draco smacked a book against his head. “What were you even thinking?”

“You know I’m pretty sure that book did nothing to you, Draco. No need to punish it.”

Draco went rigid. How did he find him? How? Draco turned and saw Harry Potter standing there, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his robes. This was definitely not going the proper way. “What are you doing here?”

“Came to see if you were alright, I mean you’ve been out here since Potions this morning,” Harry said coming over and sitting next to him on the rock he had claimed. “You forget we’re taking the same NEWTs, Draco. Except Arithmancy and Ancient Runes, definitely not taking those, not that I could if I wanted to.”

“Why?” Draco looked at him confused still. That was right, he forgot. They were taking the same NEWTs. How could he forget something like that? That still doesn’t explain how he knew he was here and why he came to check on him? He’s Harry Potter, he probably has a million other things to do. 

“Draco, who do you think I was describing when I said what the Amortentia smelled like to me?” Harry leaned back against the tree and cross his arms. His eyes were back to their preternatural green colors. Bright again. Draco shook his head and Harry sighed. “It was you. I was describing you.”

Draco stared at him, frozen. Seriously? He hadn’t been wrong? Harry had been describing him? Why? Why would he want him? Draco was nothing. He was from a now scorned family, who still had more influence then the Minister of Magic. Draco wasn’t wanted, he was needed to procure an end for the Malfoy legacy. He didn’t get what he wanted, he didn’t get to be with who he wanted to be with. Not ever, especially not if that person is Harry freaking Potter.

“Why?”

Harry stopped for a second and then sighed. “Draco, I’ve wanted you since third year. I had other things to worry about and I tried to smother my want of you with other things, such as Voldemort or the DA. And pretty soon I just forgot about it; that was until Ginny noticed my looking at you and how vehemently I protested your going to Azkaban, she broke up with me after that. Said she couldn’t date a guy who was so obsessed with another guy, which I don’t blame her for.”

“But why would you want me? Why would you degrade yourself to wanting me?” Draco flinched at his own words. He didn’t mean to say them, however he couldn’t regret them being said. He needed to know. He need to know what was so special about him. 

Harry started at him again and then shook his head. “Because you’re perfect, for me that is, we blend well together. You infuriate me to no end, and drive me absolutely crazy. I’ve never wanted anything more than I want you. You’re absolutely gorgeous and you’re sense of humor is pretty damn great. You’re adorably obsessive about how things should be. You get excited over little things you think are cool, but you play it off, because Malfoys don’t get excited about things like that.”

Draco felt the blush creep up his cheeks. He didn’t see any of the things that Harry saw in him. He only saw the boy who had a panic attack every week, and woke up screaming from his nightmares. But maybe Harry was exactly what he needed. Harry struggled too, but not nearly as bad as Draco. “You really want me?”

Harry nodded but kept his distance. Draco knew it was because he didn’t want to accidentally set off a panic attack, he’d accidentally walked into the dorm room once to find Draco sobbing and hyperventilating in the corner of the room. Harry, of course, had helped him through it. And Draco never said a word to him, which he thoroughly regretted. He looked over Harry, he looked nervous and was biting a now very pink lip in his anxiety, he just let everything out how he was not breaking down was an astonishment to Draco. “Would you – would you kiss me, Harry?”

Harry broke out in a grin and leaned forward instantly and cupped Draco’s face kissing him deeply. Draco honestly couldn’t think of anything better as he clung to Harry. He never wanted him to stop. If he didn’t need to breathe eventually he would kiss him all day. Draco’s fears about Harry melted the deeper the kiss got. He felt stronger the more Harry kissed him, he felt more like himself, and not that twittering panicky mess of fear and hopelessness. 

With Harry Draco felt anew, he felt brand new, and forgiven and it was more than Draco could ever ask for or want.


End file.
